Meridiani Planum in high resolution

Meridiani Planum, a plain located at the northern edge of the Southern Highlands of Mars, is halfway between the volcanic Tharsis Region to the west and the low-lying Hellas Planitia impact basin to the southeast. Seen through a telescope, Meridiani Planum is a striking, dark feature, close to the martian equator. It spans 127 x 63 kilometres, equivalent to an area of roughly 8000 square kilometres, about the size of Cyprus.

The High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express orbiter acquired this image. It was obtained on 1 September 2005, during orbit 2097, and has a resolution of approximately 13 metres per pixel. The image was derived from the HRSC nadir channel, which provides the highest detail of all the channels.